Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-07-23
SNAKES IN DAKOTA.
\ story Probably as True as the Aver
age.

: story l'rObaDlN "a lEuc as the Aver
age.
\ correspondent of The Dal,ota Bell
writes:
I uuderS tand that You publish ac-
counts of snakes met with in the terri
Ory when they are sent to YOU. |
hereby send You the true story of a
peculiar snake | saw three or four
weeks ago
| was gong from my place, few
miles from here. TO 4 neighbor's to see
about a cOrn-cu.tivltOr he had bor-
owed of me- | took short cut and
was on the side of bluff facing the
,.ver-thc Missouri. | was going near
some small trees wher ! heard a pc
,uIiar noise. First thought it was the
i.@'aut ringing OF church-bellS, but |
,oOn remembered that that was inn
possible. | stopped and listened. and
soon saw that 1t seemed to proceed
from the little grove. next thought
hat it might be an Indian concealed
here playing on some musical instru-
meat. though it did not seem hardly
probable. made up my mind to tint
out, anyhow.
went over to the grove and walked
among me trees. | soon came to some
low bushes and noticed that the noise
seemed to come from an open place
beyond them. dropped on my knees
on small stump and looked through.
At first | cOu,dn see anything.
looked little longer and thought
saw snakes head turned away from
me. Nv first thought was to 60 ahead
and Kill the snake. but | was afraid OF
/ sturJing whatever it was that was
making the music. so | waited. | could
see nothing else. though | crept part
way around the open place. L rose up
and started TO 20 on through, thinking
as | could see nothing that the noise
must come from beyond. | was Just
taking the first step when my eyes fell
on the snake again. and l thought
noticed something peculiar. l stopped
and looked closely. The snake was not
more than five yards away from me,
and its head was now sideways to me.
| then saw that the snake was what
produced the music. Its he2d was ele-
| waited little above the top of the grass
/ which was at that time some four oI
! five inches high. It's neck was beE
| over so that its head was horizontal
| An inch or so in front of its moutl
| appeared to be small twig, or a
! least something with 4 thin, slender
point about five inches long on it
| pointed straight toward the snake
/ mouth. VIII ch was opened little. 0I
/ this flat point, which looked some lik
the end of Il reed, the snake was blow
| ing and producing the music l ha'
/ heard.
1 l remaiHcvi-vor still and watched i
! closely. 1t played rvguIar melody
1t was not loud. but sweet. hardl
know what instrument 1t sounded like
though it reminded me of a mouth
organ some, only it was better musi
| than | ever heard on 4 mOuth-Organ
1t seemed 10 be produced much on til
same principle of u mouth-organ. bu
how the different tones were made wa
a mystery. | kept watching and lister
ing for long time, but my curiosit
rot the best of me 1T last. L tried
get a little nearer. when the snak
heard me and started to dart away.
seized upon part of dry limb an
struck al it, intending to stun it an
secure it alive if possible. l struck to
hard. and soon saw that l had killed
| Strengthened it out and found it
be only about three feet long. Its bod
was round and dark-cOlored. Its nee
was somewhat putfed out. probably /
the blowing. Its head was small an
mouth rather peculiar. L had locke
at il some time before noticed its tai
When | did 80 | can truly say that
was astonished. The reed-like point
had been playing on was the tip OF l
own tail.
For nearly six inches this tail W;
fat. like a reed and was composed I
something which appeared to be tn
bone. 1t could be drawn in or thru
our exactly like the sting of 4 was
and when | noticed this peculiarly
instantly knew that it varied the tOl
from one note to another by lengthe
, inc or shortening this reed. do n
know whether it was making the mus
wholly for its own amusement or TO
tract its mate | would give 500 II
had captured it alive.
think everybody will admit that
! is a very peculiar snake. No one arou
here ever heard Of any OF the kind
cept NV hired man. who claims
has. After | went home and told L
: story. he sad that he once saw o
&; near Grand river in Missouri. he 50
that when he ran across il 1t was lyl
on a large fat stone PLAYING the tn
OF the ..Arkansaw Traveller while
ratties1ake was coiled up near by, ket
inc time with the rattleS on his tail
/, don't believe the story, as have foU
= him very unreliable IN other thin:
: Bas :des he claims that he used 10 kn'
!. Jessie and Frank james. | think he
) vented his story, simply to make fun
. what said.
!; What have told above Is the hon
:, truth and not exaggerated bit.
course [ do not know whether tn
are many Others in the country or n
have the reed off the Ia Of TINS
and anyone who doesn believe VI I
saa !, Ynurs srurprplV